Mumbai: The officers of the Directorate of Revenue Intelligence (DRI), Mumbai Zonal Unit in two separate cases have collectively seized gold worth over Rs 9 crore. A total of seven persons including three women have been arrested in these cases.

In the first case, DRI officials, based on specific information one A. Kotecha and her daughter who had arrived from Chicago, USA via Dubai, UAE at CSMIA, Mumbai on 21.02.2025 at around 08:15 AM were identified and intercepted near the exit gate after they crossed the customs green channel.

"During personal search of Kotecha, nothing incriminating was found or recovered. However, during the personal search of the second passenger, gold were recovered from one customised waist coat worn by her beneath her clothes. Total 5466 grams of gold valued at Rs 4.86 crores were recovered and seized," a DRI official said.

"During enquiry with the said passenger regarding the gold bars recovered from her possession, she stated that the jacket containing the gold bars was given to her by her mother and that she was asked to wear the jacket to India. She further stated that she was only 13 years old and she wasn't aware that bringing gold into India without declaring the same before the customs authorities in India is an offence. Further, Kotecha also stated that she handed over the customized waist jacket containing the gold bars to her daughter as she was a minor and would not be questioned or checked much by the Customs Authority and as she was not medically fit," the DRI official said.

The DRI officials claimed that Kotecha doesn't had any documents with her or her daughter to prove that the said gold was legitimate and was not smuggled into India.

"Further, she stated that said gold bars were purchased by her from Dubai, UAE in cash. However, she didn't have purchase, declaration documents right now. However, no declaration was made before the customs officers at CSMIA Mumbai. "During investigation, none of the said two passengers were able to produce any legal document pertaining to the aforementioned gold before the officers of DRI, Mumbai," the official said.

"In the ongoing investigation, more pieces of evidence are being gathered and the same is being investigated. Other key members of the syndicate are yet to be apprehended and all out efforts are being made in this regard. Further, sources for the purchase of the gold, distribution of the smuggled gold, transfer of money through illegal hawala channels etc. is yet to be investigated. The ongoing investigation is crucial to dismantling this international smuggling network. The syndicate operates across multiple countries, and the involvement of foreign nationals in this case underscores the global reach of these criminal activities," the official said.

"My client has declared the goods at Dubai airport and have relevant documents regarding purchase of gold and it is not for smuggling purposes," said Advocate Qureshi Mohammad Aftab who represented Kotecha in the court on Friday.

In the second case, the DRI officials had arrested six persons, including two women for allegedly smuggling gold worth around Rs 4 crore. "My clients have come from Saudi Arabia after performing Umrah. Whatever goods they had they had shown to the authorities at the airport. In spite of that the agency has made a case of non declaration," said Advocate Ubaid Ghawate who represented the accused persons.